Kohler Sensate Faucet Gets Even Techier with Voice Control Update

The contactless Sensate kitchen sink faucet from Kohler has been around for a few years now, but the company was in Las Vegas for CES 2019 to show off the latest iteration of the increasingly smart kitchen sink solution. And, much like what has to be a majority of the announcements to come out of this show, the big addition to the Kohler Sensate faucet is voice control functionality.

Through the integration of KOHLER Konnect, which was rolled out last year, users will have the ability to turn the water on and off and dispense measured amounts of water through basic voice commands or motion-based interactions with the faucet. A sensor on the faucet valve monitors water usage, which is then displayed in the KOHLER Konnect app.

KOHLER Konnect offers support for a range of kitchen and bath appliances that use voice commands, hands-free motion control, and personalized presets that are all managed through the service’s app. And, in the best interest of all homeowners, KOHLER Konnect is brand agnostic when it comes to the voice assistant market—the app syncs with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.

What’s especially slick about the new KOHLER Konnect integration is that, according to the company in our discussions with them here at CES 2019, the sensor and related mechanics will be able to be retrofitted on older Sensate faucets. That means those homeowners who already have a Sensate kitchen sink in their homes won’t have to go and upgrade the whole sink just to get the added voice control options. Rather, they can work with Kohler to get the equipment they need to get their sink all up-to-date.

Other notable features of the latest Sensate kitchen faucet include a four-minute shutoff that ensures the valve won’t continuously run when turned on, a response time of 20 milliseconds for the gesture control functions, and a MasterClean sprayface features an easy-to-clean surface that withstands mineral buildup.

The sink will be available for order later this quarter and has an estimated consumer price range of $660-$830.